The Spider and the Fly. Written by: Mary Howitt. Illustrated by: Tony DiTerlizzi. Genre: Poetry. Pages: 30. Copyright: 2002.
All flies know the danger that a spider could bring to them,so how is it then that one spider could possibly have a fly over, not only for conversation, but also have her stay for dinner? And not only does she survive this daring test of fate the first time, but she comes back a second time to test fate once more! Find out how this particular Spider was able to get this Fly to sit down beside him.
Summary: This is a delightful poem written about a spider that seduces a fly to his web with flattery and praise. It starts with the spider inviting the fly to his "parlor" where she politely refuses, letting him know that she has heard tales of things that happen in his "parlor". He continues to try to talk her into going up stairs with him, using flattery and tries to entice her with "sheets that are fine and thin." Again she protests and refuse to be enticed, mentioning stories she has heard of bugs that never return again. Over dinner he tries again and she once again politely refuses. He continues to flatter her and give her tons of compliments, and she continues to refuse, and finally leaves the house unharmed. The spider is not upset by this though because he knows that after all the wining and dining that he did that evening, she will return when he calls, and then he will have her at last! And sure enough, the next day he call out to her in song and quickly she comes running along! Before she knows it, she is trapped by the spider and he quickly takes her to her parlor where she never does come out again! The poem ends with a cautionary tale of not falling for flattery when you know there is already an existing danger.
My Assessment:
This is a great little poem but what really makes this stand out is the illustrations! They are amazing and funny, and have so many layers to them! Throughout the poem, there are ghost of bugs fallen that are around trying to warn the little fly. The Fly is beautifully drawn and the attention to detail is phenomenal! The Spider is drawn to be as sinister as he looks and has a delightful creepiness about him. I appreciate that there is the cautionary tale at the end, about if you know something is safe, avoid it however much it flatters. I did think that there was an interesting thing happening however that I am still not entirely sure about. I think that it may be one of those moments where adult experiences lead into interpretation and that kids won't ever see it but, there is an element of this predatory, sinister male figure, praying upon a helpless dainty female character. He charms her, and wine and dines her. And he isn't concerned about her leaving because he knows she will be back. I think that that imagery has more to do with the illustrations then the poem itself. That being said, the illustrations are still amazing, I think the feminist in me thinks there could have been a different approach.
Teaching Tips:
This is a great poem to use for building character in students. The cautionary tale at the end is fantastic for illustrating the importance of doing what you know is right and not letting others talk you into something that you know is not right.
What I Liked the Most:
The illustrations were hands down what made this poem spectacular. It is beautifully put together and truly a work of art. It created a story out of what could have been a one page poem into a beautiful 30 page story, with humor, elegance, and class. I would absolutely share this with my class.
All flies know the danger that a spider could bring to them,so how is it then that one spider could possibly have a fly over, not only for conversation, but also have her stay for dinner? And not only does she survive this daring test of fate the first time, but she comes back a second time to test fate once more! Find out how this particular Spider was able to get this Fly to sit down beside him.
Summary: This is a delightful poem written about a spider that seduces a fly to his web with flattery and praise. It starts with the spider inviting the fly to his "parlor" where she politely refuses, letting him know that she has heard tales of things that happen in his "parlor". He continues to try to talk her into going up stairs with him, using flattery and tries to entice her with "sheets that are fine and thin." Again she protests and refuse to be enticed, mentioning stories she has heard of bugs that never return again. Over dinner he tries again and she once again politely refuses. He continues to flatter her and give her tons of compliments, and she continues to refuse, and finally leaves the house unharmed. The spider is not upset by this though because he knows that after all the wining and dining that he did that evening, she will return when he calls, and then he will have her at last! And sure enough, the next day he call out to her in song and quickly she comes running along! Before she knows it, she is trapped by the spider and he quickly takes her to her parlor where she never does come out again! The poem ends with a cautionary tale of not falling for flattery when you know there is already an existing danger.
My Assessment:
This is a great little poem but what really makes this stand out is the illustrations! They are amazing and funny, and have so many layers to them! Throughout the poem, there are ghost of bugs fallen that are around trying to warn the little fly. The Fly is beautifully drawn and the attention to detail is phenomenal! The Spider is drawn to be as sinister as he looks and has a delightful creepiness about him. I appreciate that there is the cautionary tale at the end, about if you know something is safe, avoid it however much it flatters. I did think that there was an interesting thing happening however that I am still not entirely sure about. I think that it may be one of those moments where adult experiences lead into interpretation and that kids won't ever see it but, there is an element of this predatory, sinister male figure, praying upon a helpless dainty female character. He charms her, and wine and dines her. And he isn't concerned about her leaving because he knows she will be back. I think that that imagery has more to do with the illustrations then the poem itself. That being said, the illustrations are still amazing, I think the feminist in me thinks there could have been a different approach.
Teaching Tips:
This is a great poem to use for building character in students. The cautionary tale at the end is fantastic for illustrating the importance of doing what you know is right and not letting others talk you into something that you know is not right.
What I Liked the Most:
The illustrations were hands down what made this poem spectacular. It is beautifully put together and truly a work of art. It created a story out of what could have been a one page poem into a beautiful 30 page story, with humor, elegance, and class. I would absolutely share this with my class.